NORTHCOM apparently distinguishes itself as a command exclusively intended for Homeland Defense vice Security. A draft Department of Defense
Joint Operating Concept white paper published on 12 December 2003 identifies three Mission areas where NORTHCOM’s key responsibilities and mission priorities reside: (1) Homeland Defense, (2) Civil Support, and (3) Emergency Preparedness.32 These three mission areas and subsequent mission sets as related to the Maritime Domain are explained below.
1. Maritime Homeland Defense: Extraordinary Circumstances The first key mission area identified by NORTHCOM is Maritime Homeland Defense. This mission area is considered an extraordinary circumstance whereby the Department of Defense:
would be required to execute its traditional military missions in defense of the people and territory of our country. In these instances, DOD is supported by other federal agencies. Plans for such contingencies, to the extent possible, would be coordinated, as appropriate, with the National Security Council and with the Homeland Security Council.33
Maritime Homeland Defense is the primary mission area wherein NORTHCOM, under standing orders from the Secretary of Defense and the President, will likely assume the role as Lead Federal Agency (LFA) and will be supported by other federal and state agencies. Maritime mission sets that fall into this category include, but are not limited to maritime interdiction, mine warfare, air defense, undersea warfare, and special warfare.
One example of this type of mission is Operation Noble Eagle. As an immediate response to the 2001 September 11 attacks, an unprecedented sortie of carrier battle groups on the East and West Coast took place to protect the coastlines and approaches and monitor the skies against a potential second wave of attacks, while Navy E-2 Hawkeyes provided expanded air and surface surveillance coverage of both coasts.
32 Ibid. Pg. 1
33 Donald H. Rumsfeld, “Transcript of Testimony by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on Homeland Security before Senate Appropriations Committee,” [on-line] (7 May 2002[cited on 20 October 2003]); available from the World Wide Web @ http://www.dod.mil
2. Civil Support
The second key mission area identified by NORTHCOM is Civil Support.
Under NORTHCOM, Civil Support may be directed “to provide the means to assist civilian authorities in order to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.”34 DOD and NORTHCOM would act in a supporting role of civilian authorities.
Under this mission area, maritime mission sets may include, but are not limited to Military Assistance to Civil Authorities (MACA) and Military Assistance for Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies (MSCLEA). The Homeland Security Joint Operating Concept, however, makes clear that Civil Support Missions by title 10 forces will only be undertaken when “its involvement is appropriate and when a clear end state for the Department’s role is defined.”35
Some examples of these operations in the maritime domain include the 12 September 2001 deployment of the hospital ship USNS Comfort to New York Harbor for Civil Support. Comfort reached New York three days after the World Trade Center attacks with orders to provide support services to New York emergency personnel and serve as a rest center for thousands of disaster relief workers.36
Other examples of Civil Support mission sets include ongoing U.S. Navy involvement in counter-drug operations in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs, Maritime Homeland Security patrols by Navy and Coast Guard crews aboard U.S. Navy Cyclone class patrol craft, and the continuing development of the Joint Harbor Operations Centers (JHOC) in Norfolk and San Diego.
34United States Department of Defense, Department of Defense Homeland Security Joint Operating Concept (draft), (12 December 2003 [cited on 12 January 2004]); available from the World Wide Web @ , http://www.dtic.mil/jointvision/drafthls_joc.doc, Pg. 15
35Ibid, Pg 15
36Military Sealift Command Public Affairs, “USNS Comfort Providing Comfort In New York,” [on-line] (19 September 2001 [cited on 12 January 2004]); available from the World Wide Web @ http://www.chinfo.navy.mil
3. Emergency Preparedness
The third key mission area identified by NORTHCOM is Emergency Preparedness. This mission area is planned to “ensure DOD processes, procedures, and resources are in place to support the President and Secretary of Defense in a designated National Security Emergency.”37 Under this mission area, maritime mission sets may include Continuity of Operations (COOP) missions.
COOP, delineated under Presidential Decision Directive, “requires federal agencies to develop COOP plans for essential operations. These COOP plans were viewed as a unifying concept not to replace existing plans but, instead, to be superimposed if and when a problem threatens a serious disruption of agency operations.”38
One mission essential naval component for NORTHCOM in this mission area may be the utilization of two existing Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons, VQ-2 and VQ-3 stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. These Navy squadrons fly the E-6B communications relay and strategic airborne command post aircraft that provide “survivable, reliable, and endurable airborne command, control, and communications between the National Command Authority (NCA) and U.S. strategic and non-strategic forces.”39
VQ-2 and VQ-3 have been under operational control (OPCON) of the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) since 1993 while reporting to the U.S. Navy’s Patrol Wings Pacific for administrative purposes.40 Because this platform is capable of dual missions as “strategic relay” and “airborne command center,”
37 United States Department of Defense, Department of Defense Homeland Security Joint Operating Concept (draft), (12 December 2003 [cited on 12 January 2004]); available from the World Wide Web @ http://www.dtic.mil/jointvision/drafthls_joc.doc Pg 40.
38 PDD 67: Enduring Constitutional Government and Continuity of Government, [on-line] (1998 [cited on 12 January 2004]); available from the World Wide Web @ http://www.emergency-management.net, Pg. 1
39United States Navy Fact File, “E-6 Mercury, United States Department of Defense,” [on-line]
(24 June 2003 [cited on 13 January 2004]); available from the World Wide Web @ http://www.chinfo.navy.mil
40Jane's, “Janes Electronic Mission Aircraft 01: Boeing E-6A/B Mercury,” [on-line] (20 June 1998) [cited on 8 February 2004]); available from the World Wide Web @ http://www4.janes.com
should the squadrons remain under OPCON of STRATCOM? Under what circumstance or arrangement might OPCON shift to NORTHCOM?